Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is now out in theaters! Because of that, it’s time for another new ranking on this blog. This time, we will be ranking the Mad Max franchise! However, I’m not just going to rank every single film installment. I will also include the Mad Max video game that came out in 2015! Why you may ask? Because it’s a dope game and deserves to be included in this messed up canon of a universe?!
Anyways, let’s hope right into the list of the Mad Max franchise from worst to best! Also, Happy Memorial Day!
6.) Mad Max
Yes, the worst that the Mad Max universe has to offer is in fact the original Mad Max, which is also the only film in the series to put the full spotlight on him and not those around him. This is when George Miller had yet to find an actual identity for the franchise that he created along with discovering his own talents as a filmmaker. The pacing is sluggish, the action lacks tensions because of how rubbish it’s filmed, and despite being considered a “revenge” movie, it’s not until the last 20 or so minutes when Max does in fact give revenge for his family’s death. While those sequences are awesome, it happens way too late in the film, delivering little payoff to a whole lot of setup. Thankfully, it’s by the end where Max finds himself in the wasteland, which is also when the franchise finds it’s own identity.
5.) Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
There are many folks that point toBeyond Thunderdome, the final film in the series with Mel Gibson as the title character, as the low point of the series, sighting it’s cartoon-like nature and more kid friendly tone as being the reasons why. Oh, and the annoying little kids don’t help either! While all of that is partially true, it still delivers in terms of car chases, production design, costumes, and Mel Gibson’s beautiful hair in it. Not to mention, Tina Turner singing “We Don’t Need Another Hero.” It’s undoubtedly cheesy but at least there’s always something happening on screen that makes it hard to be bored by, as compared to the first movie. It’s definitely a mixed bag but the good news is that the post-Mel Gibson Mad Max films (and one game) would go on to learn the “right” lessons from this and ignore all the wrong ones.
4.) Mad Max (2015) Video Game
Yes, there was a Mad Max game that came out in 2015. The main reason you might not know about it may have to do with the fact that this released the same day as Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (A dull and boring game btw!). What stinks because this is actually one of the better IP exclusive games in recent memory. Taking cues from hit games such as Batman: Arkham Asylum and Grand Theft Auto V, Mad Max (2015) the video game really makes you feel like the title character. You just have all the fun in the world driving the Magnum Opus, beating up war boys, collecting scraps and goodies, and taking down the enemies towers along the way. Also at his heart is a core story about Max trying to fight his way through the wasteland and find somewhere where he can be at peace at long last, leaving the memories of his fallen loved ones behind him. Oh, and the main bad guy in this game is Immortan Joe’s son, who also showed up in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. It’s far from the most revolutionary gameplay out there but if you need your Mad Max fix after Fury Road and Furiosa, this should do you well!
3.) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
This is the first film in the series to not have Max himself in a main role (although he has one glorious blink-and-you-miss-it cameo and instead acts as the origin story of the star from Fury Road in Furiosa. Even so, it still remains a superb action packed spectacle that offers a further expansion of the Furiosa character and more depth into the insane world of Mad Max itself. It manages to tell a compelling origin story for it’s lead heroine that stands strong in it’s own right, Anya-Taylor Joy is able to fill in the shoes for Charlize Theron greatly, Chris Hemsworth is having the time of his life playing the main bad guy in Dementus, and it just makes for a perfect counterpart to it’s already perfect successor in Mad Max: Fury Road. Oh, and some nice little easter eggs and nods to the Mad Max (2015) video game is always welcome! It may not quite reach the height of Fury Road (or even The Road Warrior for that matter) but oh man, is it fun to watch George Miler try to top himself the whole way through. If this really is the beginning of the end of movie theaters as we know it, then I’m at least glad we are going out with bangs like like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
2.) Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Before Fury Road managed to raise the standards of actions movies in the 2010s, The Road Warrior was able to do that first for actions movies in the 1980s. This was when you can tell that George Miller was fully at home with this franchise and Mel Gibson had slipped comfortably in his role as Max Rockatany. The story structures feels more much organic, the action and chase scenes have more weight and energy to them, the exploration of the post-apocalyptic wasteland is intriguing to explore, and it does a great job of leading into the sheer madness and craziness that would become a staple for this franchise. This is also what set the formula for the sequels of the stories not actually being about Max himself but the others that are around him and how he goes about helping them through others troubles. Max might not be able to prevent the tragic past that he had to endure but that doesn’t mean he has to let others have the same faith. It might have took a second try but The Road Warrior is when the series was able to unlock it’s true potential with it’s action, set pieces, and world building. However, it still only walked so that the next one could run over 30 years later.
1.) Mad Max: Fury Road
If you want to talk about the Mad Max series at it’s finest and just action blockbuster filmmaking in general, look no further than Mad Max: Fury Road. This is hands down the best film in this franchise because of the high near impossible standards that it was able to reach and lead by examples. The action is absolutely spectacular in every sense of the word, there is tension, suspense, and momentum felt throughout it’s entire runtime, the practical effects is able to blend together with the VFX work perfectly, every single cast member is on top form here, the stunt work and editing is some of the best I’ve ever seen for a blockbuster, the score is absolutely mesmerizing, Tom Hardy is able to take over for Mel Gibson as Max without much shortcomings, and Furiosa, played perfectly by Charlize Theron, is one of the best female protagonists in cinema history, so much so that it’s basically more of her movie than it is Max’s but you don’t care one bit because of how great and compelling she is. Mad Max: Fury Road is a film that is perfect no matter what way you look at. Whether it’s as an action-packed spectacle, a visual and character driven story, a further look into the wasteland of Mad Max, or as a feminist think piece, Mad Max: Fury Road remains one of the best and most perfect films of the 21st century. Even if Mad Max: The Wasteland or another Mad Max film never gets made, let’s at least be glad we got to witness George Miller craft a Magnum Opus of his own. And we all could not be better for it!
For anyone that follows the movie industry and knows how the film making process works, you know that most films based off of well-known IPs tend to be micromanaged to high hell by the studio executives. Sure, if it’s a franchise that is guaranteed a profit based off the name alone and is directed by someone with a reputation of making crowd pleasing blockbusters on budget and on time, they might get a pass. However, more times than not, it’s always the studio execs and producers that have the final say on the finished product, at the expense of the cast and crew that work on it.
All of that reason and more is why it’s a miracle that Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga even exists in the first place. It’s a prequel of Mad Max: Fury Road, a movie, which despite all the praise it got and the Oscars it won, barley squeaked a profit and made George Miller go to war with Warner Bros to allow Furiosa along with another potential Mad Max: sequel to even happen. This isn’t a film that exists because it’s something that Warner Bros desperately wanted to greenlight. It’s a film that exists because George Miller fought his neck and teeth for to get made. And if the early box office results of Furiosa are anything to go by, George Miller was able to win the battle while Warner Bros will likely lose the war.
If this really is the beginning of the end of movie theaters as we know it, then I’m at least glad we are going out with bangs like like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. A glorious action packed spectacle that offers a further expansion of the Furiosa character, more depth into the insane world of Mad Max, telling a compelling origin story that stands strong in it’s own right, and makes for a perfect counterpart to it’s already perfect successor in Mad Max: Fury Road. It may not quite reach the height of Fury Road but oh man, is it fun to watch George Miler try to top himself the whole way through.
Premise: Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne) falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel, presided over by the Immortan Joe. As the two tyrants fight for dominance, Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) soon finds herself in a nonstop battle to make her way home.
The first thing you need to know right off the bat about Furiosa is that it’s a COMPLETELY different beast than Mad Max: Fury Road. While they may look and sound similar, both films present very different and unique ways to tell their story. Whereas Fury Road relied on it’s nonstop action and immersive visuals to tell it’s story, Furiosa has Miller taking another deliberate approach with a film that acts more as a character study about Furiosa, with a slower pace and focus on world building than it’s predecessor did. The film no doubt delivers enough action and explosions to those that crave those in their summer blockbuster but at heart, this is a character driven story about a fierce woman being caught in the middle of war with two distinct sides.
The film is divided into three separate acts (or five different chapters, at the film points out), all three of which are able to tell their own distinct story. We have the entire first act that puts the focus on Furiosa as a child (played WONDERFULLY by Alyla Browne) when she got taking away from her home by Dementus and the Biker Horde. We have the second act that shows Furiosa raised through a teenager to adulthood by Immortan Joe and the Citidial along with getting caught between their war against the Biker Horde. And then there’s the third act which has Furiosa seeing vengeance against Dementus for taking away everything she’s ever loved and transforms into the Furiosa that we all remember from Mad Max: Fury Road. All three acts are engaging, all three acts tell their story at their own paced, and all three acts has a payoff of some sort by the end of it. That is multilayered storytelling if I’ve ever seen it!
Even if some may balk at the fact that it’s a prequel and we already know ahead of time the outcomes of certain characters, there is still a complete story told her and a complete arc for our main heroine that is developed every step of the way. It allows the traits and events we already know will happen to Furiosa in a very organic way. These events help with the development of the character and don’t just feel like a checklist of things to happen because it’s a prequel (*cough* How Han Solo got his name in Solo: A Star Wars Story!). Not only does Furiosa not tarnish Mad Max: Fury Road in any way, it actually enhances that masterpiece, adding even more layers and details to it than ever before. When watching both films back-to-back alongside each other, it’s gonna feel natural and make both experiences feel like one complete picture.
The performances are about as pitch perfect as it comes. While I can give it all the credit in the world to Anya Taylor-Joy that is able to nail the fierce nature that Charlize Theron captured so well in Fury Road, a special shout out has to go to Alyla Browne. She’s able to carry the first act as well as a child actor possibly can, being as silent and stoic as you would likely expect a 10-year old Furiosa to be like. She does it so well you almost don’t mind waiting for Anya Taylor-Joy to show up because how captivating she is on screen. Of course, Anya Taylor-Joy is just as equally great as well, selling herself well as not just one of the best young actresses working today but also someone capable of holding an action role. She’s not on the level as Charlize Theron but I can definitely see her being on that level two decades from now if Hollywood is still able to make these action movies by then.
Other notable shoutouts go to the likes of Josh Helman’s Scrotus (who fans of the Mad Max (2015) video game should remember), Nathan Jones’s Erectus, and Tom Burke’s Prateorian Jack, all three of which are able to give convincing performances as either raging mad mans (mostly the first two) or one of the fearless but noble good men out there (mostly the third one). You also can’t forget Charlee Fraser’s spectacularly badass turn as Furiosa’s mommy. I won’t go much further than that but let’s just say you can more than understand why Furiosa became the badass that she is.
However, no other actor is able to steal the scenery her than Chris Hemsworth as the main antagonist Dementus. Hemsworth already proved himself worthy (no pun intended) of playing a fun bad guy in Bad Times At The El Royale (which you should see right now if you haven’t already) but he takes to a whole another level here. Able to fine that perfect balance of vile, unhinged charisma and being an intimating threat every step of the way. There’s even a good 10 to 15 minutes stretch that puts the full spotlight on him and you don’t care one bit because of how awesome of a presence he is here. It’s like Hemsworth took the criticism of Thor: Love and Thunder to hard and wanted to make his turn as Dementus that stands out greater than in any Marvel movie he has ever done. While the box office may not show that, this proves that he does not need the Disney scenery to pull off a great performance.
While Furiosa is not quite as action heavy as Fury Road, it still really delivers here. The set pieces, stunt work, cinematography, and just about ANYHING revolving around the action is Oscar caliber here. The car chase sequences are as every bit as intense and exciting as they were in Fury Road, taking you on this crazy ride as you find yourself biting your teeth in regards to the fate of the characters while also being gloriously entertained in the process. Even though he’s approaching 80 years old, it’s incredible how Miller continues to find new and exciting way of creating action sequences that will make you want to rewatch it over and over and over again.
It’s also quite cool how well this is respectful to not just the previous Mad Max films but also the Mad Max (2015) video game as well. As I said before, fans of the game will know that Scrotus was the main antagonist of that game and is actually the son of Immortan Joe, basically solidifying that game in this latest Mad Max canon. There’s some fun little easter eggs and nods to that game which will likely put in you in the mood to play it after seeing the more or play it for the first time if you haven’t already.
The score by Junkie XL, aka Tom Holkenborg, is as inspired and perfect in the moment as it was in Mad Max: Fury Road, the cinematography by Simon Duggan captures the look of the wasteland very well, the editing by Eliot Knapman and Margaret Sixel will certainly lands some awards come Oscar season, and even if the CGI and VFX work are admittedly more noticeable here than it was in Fury Road, they blend better with the practical effects when watching the film onscreen in theaters as oppose as to just watching the trailer on YouTube.
What keeps Furiosa from being as grand or impressive as Fury Road has to do with not feeling as air tight as that film was and having a bit more baggage to carry. There are times where the pacing can be a bit inconsistent, with a first act that feel slower with having to set the groundwork for the latter two acts and Furiosa’s revenge arc wrapping up a beat or two more quickly than it should have been. And even if it manages to avoid most of the trappings that prequels usually gain, there are some elements that don’t quite get as explored as they should, likely because we already know ahead of a time of the fate of certain characters. In this case, I would have like to see more interactions between Praetorian Jack and Furiosa. It’s hinted that Jack as the closest thing that Furiosa has ever had to a male love interest but in context of the film, comes across as just another man that she is forced to tag along with for the fate of her survival. (Spoiler alert: That would NOT be the last time!)
Even so, the fact that George Miller had to give everything to not just make Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as great as it is but even get it made at all is proof how much the world of Mad Max means to the man. Regardless if it’s with Mad Max or another character themselves, this world is able to make the best use out of Mr. Miller as a filmmaker outside of anything to do with animated penguins that’s NOT related to Madagascar. Even if you basically see these last two Mad Max films as a metaphor as to where films are heading now that theaters are losing money, at least the man is able to get the chance to show us all a great taste of his imagination. And man does it taste good!
I don’t know if we’ll get another Mad Max movie or not but even so, I will gladly put Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Mad Max: Fury Road greatly alongside one another. These films should be seen as a textbook example of how to make compelling action films. From the set pieces to the fight chorography to the stunt work to the visuals to the story to the characters to the themes to the soundtrack, these are both perfect examples of well-crafted films and the kind of ones I will always support at the bottom of my heart, even when they are not perfect. While I don’t think Furiosa is quite perfect, I will look for any excuse to take a look into George Miller’s Odyssey.
This is George Miller’s world and we are all living in it in ways we really couldn’t imagine!
Other comments:
Yes, Mad Max does make a cameo in this! Yes, it’s about as blink-and-miss as you would imagine!
And seriously, go play the Mad Max (2015) video game if you haven’t already! It rules!
Also, special shoutout to Quarden Bayles as War Boy! I wish that young man the best of everything in the world! For what I’ve seen and heard about him, I hope he is given proper care and respect in his life, especially after the roles he played in this film and Three Thousand Years of Longing.
It’s now officially May which means it’s now officially summer movie season! The time of the year where the big blockbusters of the year are front and center in movie theaters everywhere now that the kids are out of school! Because of that, I figure I’d so something that I’ve yet to do on this blog, do a list of what I believe will be the top highest grossing films of the summer!
2023 was an absolute DISASTER at the box office during the summer time! That is largely due to the massive budgets from the majority of the big movies that came out that year along with just the overall inconsistent-to-poor quality of those big movies. And considering the fact there will likely be no Barbenheimer to save the summer, 2024 will likely be just as challenging for summer movies!
Even so, I think the 2024 summer movie season will give a big indication as to whether or not Hollywood is still recovering from the post-covid era of struggling to get people’s butts into theater seats or will this be the beginning of a resurrection for summer movies! We can only cross our fingers and hope for the best!
And considering I’ve been seeing multiple people put their own predictions of the top 10 biggest summer movies in terms of profit, why not throw my own hat in the ring and do my own list of this?! Keep in mind, these are the movies that I believe will be the highest grossing of the summer, not the ones that I desperately want to be at the very top. If that were the case, then Furiosa would at least be in the top 3 and Despicable Me 4 would be dead last on this list. This is list is not a matter of anticipating or movies I think will be objective the best, this is a list of the movies that I believe will be the most to least successful in terms of the top 10 movies of the summer.
Also, this is a ranking based on box office numbers worldwide and NOT domestic. That list would be harder and more complicated for me to judge. This is how I feel the box office numbers will hold for each film WORLDWIDE. Could I be dead wrong on every single one of these? Absolutely! But hey, it’s fun to be able to make predictions, right?!
Time to jump right in and put my predictions on what I believe will be the top 10 highest grossing films of the summer!
10.) Furiosa
Release Date: May 24th
Box Office Projection: $350 Million
Reason: I have all the faith in the world that George Miller will deliver with this film but I’m just not sure it’s one that most general audience will be interested in. Despite the massive praise that Mad Max: Fury Road got back in 2015, it only made a little over 380 million dollars worldwide, with a net loss somewhere between $20-$40 million. And considering this is basically a prequel spin-off surrounding a character from Fury Road but played by a completely different actress and with no Mad Max to be found in the marketing, that doesn’t inspire much confidence for Furiosa to top or even match that. I love to be proven wrong and the cult following of Fury Road will show up to this one but I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the most frustrating Hollywood flop since last year Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, especially with the rumored film budget being over 200 million dollars! Hopefully this prevails and we get more Mad Max films from George Miller with the time we still have with him!
9.) Bad Boys Ride or Die
Release Date: June 7th
Box Office Projection: $400 Million
Reason: This is likely the summer movie I’m the most curious to see how it performs. This is a sequel to a movie that was one of the last solid hits to come out before covid hit. If it’s able to hit all the right beats just like Bad Boys For Life did, then I can see this doing similar numbers to that and perhaps even top it. The only big question is whether or not everyone has forgiven Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock on stage yet?
8.) The Fall Guy
Release Date: May 3rd
Box Office Projection: $425 Million
Reason: The first big movie of the summer is set to arrive tomorrow and I think this will largely benefit from being that first big movie of the summer. It also helps that it’s an awfully good over-the-top action flick that puts the spotlight on stunt doubles. If the word of mouth is good enough this weekend, I can definitely see this being a genuine crowd pleaser and may even make more folks demand that the Academy act a stunt category to the Oscars. I seem to be higher on this movie than most folks that I’ve seen but I think The Fall Guy will do more than fine and dandy at the box office.
7.) A Quiet Place: Day One
Release Date: June 28th
Box Office Projection: 450 Million
Reason: Coming after the first two terrific installments, this is the one main horror franchise that has left the audience more intrigued to see what happens next. The only potential downside is that this acts as a prequel to those first two films with a completely different cast and director. The big looming questions is whether or not audiences love A Quiet Place for it’s memorable characters and recognizable actors or for it’s genuine scares, set pieces, and world building. If the quality for Day One is in the same ballpark as those first two Quiet Place movies, then I can certainly see it being in the same ballpark as the first two films in terms of box office results.
6.) If
Release Date: May 17th
Box Office Projection: $475 Million
Reason: There are two main factors here that will make If a good hit at the box office. First, it will be the biggest family friendly movie to come out in May (give or take The Garfield Movie) and will have enough time to stand out as that until Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 come out. Secondly, it has the star power duo of Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski. Those two factors alone are almost certain guarantee that this movie will do bank once it comes out in the next two weeks. It likely won’t be the biggest movie of the summer starring Mr. Blake Lively but it will definitely help for him to have a summer to remember.
5.) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Release Date: May 10th
Box Office Projection: $500 Million
Reason: The next big summer entry is set to come out in theaters next month and looks as if it will be as visually delighting and narratively compelling as it’s rebooted predecessors. Disney has been doing everything in their power to promote this film by showing off the elements that folks loved the most about the previous three films. That in of itself will guarantee a strong first weekend, especially since it’s avoiding Memorial Day competition with Furiosa and The Garfield Movie. Just like with A Quiet Place: Day One, the biggest challenge that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will have to overcome is make people just as invested in this new cast and crew as they were with the previous ones. If it does that, then this will likely be in the top 5 movies of the summer.
4.) Twisters
Release Date: July 19th
Box Office Projection: $600 Million
Reason: It might be a bold claim on the surface to predict this one making 600 million and being one of the biggest movies of the summer but hear me out. The original Twisters is adored by many, it has the star power of Glen Powell, coming off his great work in Top Gun: Maverick, and everyone just loves a good disaster flick. The trailers have been doing it’s best to sell audiences on exactly what they want to see out of a disaster movie and that alone will likely get plenty of folks into the theaters. I could be dead wrong in claiming this but even if this does get bad reviews, I don’t see that scaring away audiences because this is the definition of a “critic proof” movie. By that note, this will likely be the most successful “critic proof” movie since The Super Mario Bros Movie. Hopefully, the discourse over the Rotten Tomato score won’t be as insufferable.
3.) Inside Out 2
Release Date: June 14th
Box Office Projection: $750 Million
Reason: Disney has been in quite a slump as of late with their theatrically released films, especially in terms of animation. Despite all the flops released last year, Elemental had some staying power and made just enough to be guaranteed a profit, making that and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 the only Disney movies to NOT be considered a financial disappointment. And considering this is a sequel to one of the most beloved Pixar films in recent memory, Inside Out 2 will be able to do some of the best numbers with Disney Animation since 2019, especially if the reviews are stellar. The recent track record alone might prevent it from reaching the same success as the first one but if it delivers, Inside Out 2 should be able to be the most successful theatrically released Pixar film since Toy Story 4 and possibly even the most successful theatrically released Disney film overall since Frozen 2.
2.) Deadpool & Wolverine
Release Date: July 26th
Box Office Projection: $900 Million
Reason: Many folks have claimed this will be a guarantee billion dollar hit but I think everyone needs to come back to reality for a moment. After many big movies underperformed last year, including two MCU installments, we might need to pump the breaks on such bold claims. As much as Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year and will likely be one of the biggest movies of the summer, that’s won’t guarantee 7 digits as prior big Marvel movies did. The R-rating alone (A reminder that there has been only ONE film to ever make a billion dollars!) along with the inconsistent quality of recent Marvel movies/shows will likely prevent it from reaching that billion dollar mark, with audiences still needing more consistent quality Marvel flicks to be fully won back. The promise of seeing Huge Jackman as Wolverine once again in yellow spandex, the buddy-cop routine with him and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, and the absolute guarantee of multiple easter eggs, cameos, and fan service will make Deadpool & Wolverine one of the biggest movies of the summer almost certainly. When it comes to if it will be the first Marvel movie since Spider-Man: No Way Home to make a billion dollars, that more than remains to be seen in my eyes.
1.) Despicable Me 4
Release Date: July 3rd
Box Office Projection: $1.1 Billion
Reason: I don’t understand the appeal of these movies and I likely never will but one thing is certain though, this franchise certainly has an audience. Coming off a third entry that made a billion dollars and a second Minions movie that almost made a billion dollars, there is no reason to believe that Despicable Me 4 won’t be in that exact same territory in terms of box office success. Whether you like or hate them, Illumination Animation certainly knows how to get kids and families to theaters with their films and this will certainly be no exception. As I said before, the quality of any of these films is irrelevant and I highly doubt any kind of negative reviews will impact the box office results here. If I had to pick one big movie that is the saftest bet to make a billion dollars and be the highest grossing movie of the summer, it would be Despicable Me 4. I wish that was not the case but hey, there are plenty of folks out there that do. So, what do I now?
Other notes:
As for the other movies that got let off the list!
The Garfield Movie nearly came close to topping Furiosa the 10th spot but unless it’s able to make noise at Memorial Day, I can see this being shipped to digital really quickly. It might do enough for a profit but not Hotel Transylvania and Spider-Verse numbers.
Alien: Romulus looks like a return to traditional roots for the series in the form of Prey but it will likely have to pay for the sins of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant (Damn you, Ridley Scott!).
The Bikeriders seems fun but won’t leave much impact until it hits streaming service like it originally was suppose to.
Horizon: An American Saga could likely come and go depending on it’s quality.
And if the trailers for Borderlands is anything to go by, this will likely be one of the biggest bombs of the summer. Why, Eli Roth?! Just why?!
2023 is now officially over which mean it’s now time to roll into 2024! And what better way to kick off the early part of January then to share what new films I’m looking forward to the most in 2014.
I’ll be straight up honest with you, there’s not very many films that I’m over the moon excited to see this year. If anything, there’s not so much movies I’m excited for and more movies that I’m CURIOUS for. When viewing the 2024 movie release slate as a whole, you can definitely tell it’s been largely affected by the multiple strikes that took place throughout the course of 2023, causing many film releases to be paused or delayed entirely. Because of that there’s so many films set to come out this year as we speak that we literally know NOTHING about. Perhaps there will be smaller films under my radar or even brand new big films that I have ZERO excitement for will win me over but for now, I’m going into 2024 with pretty pedestrian expectations for what it will bring us in terms of films.
That being said, I still do have ten movies this year that I do have interest in and more likely will check them out around the time that they release.
FYI, I will NOT be including Dune: Part Two on this list because that was already on last year’s list. Considering that only got move backed due to the writers strike along with the fact that was on my list from last year, I don’t need to remind you again that I am legit excited for that movie.
First off, I have a five honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions:
Argylle
We see Matthew Vaughn returning to the spy action genre once again with a stacked cast and an original premise that will hopefully bring a good spin on the genre as we know it. Hopefully, Vaughn is able to recapture that lightning in a bottle he did with Kingsman: The Secret Service and avoid the trappings that brought down Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
Ballerina
With The Continental acting as the first spin-off series in the John Wick universe, Ballerina will act as the first spin-off film set in the John Wick universe, taking place between Chapter Two and Three. It will star Ana De Armas as a ballerina named Rooney, a character from Chapter 3 but has been recast, seeking revenge by hunting down the murder of her family. If done well, this has potential to expand upon the John Wick franchise in interesting ways, even without it’s titled main character. And if you saw her brief cameo in No Time To Die, you would know that Ms. Armas is more than capable of handling an action role.
Borderlands
After returning to his roots last year with Thanksgiving, Eli Roth is taking his next step a year later with the newest video game film adaption in Borderlands. Even with the increase in quality over the years, video game adaptions are still something to be very cautious over. Even so, there’s a lot of notable names in the cast here with Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis and Eli Roth is the master at making over-the-top bloody gore fests. With the correct rating, this could at worst be a relatively fun time and make for perhaps the goriest video game movie we’ve ever seen!
Joker: Folie à Deux
This is one that I’m more CURIOUS about than EXCITED. Even as someone that enjoyed the first Joker but wasn’t jumping off the roof over it, I don’t think it was a film that warranted a sequel. But because the first one made a billion dollars, we see Todd Phillips returning for a follow-up which will see the origin of Harley Quinn played by Lady Gaga and is said to have a more “musical” vibe to it. I have no clue if this will work or not but no doubt I will be there day one to see how this whole thing will play out. This is a bold strategy, let’s see if it pays off!
Nosferatu
More than just his cameos in Spongebob Squarepants, Nosfreatu will be a modern remake of the 1922 original starring Bill Skarsgard himself with Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Northman) taking directing duties. Eggers has been a director that has just entered my radar and I’m profoundly interested to see if he can pull off a high quality remake of a film that is now over 100 years old.
Now, here we go with the main top three!
10.) The Fall Guy
The summer movie season of 2024 is not kicking off with yet another Marvel superhero movie but with a fresh action thriller with The Fall Guy, acting as an adaption of the 1980s tv series. We get to see Ryan Gosling acting as a daredevil stuntman that becomes a reluctant investigator to save his ex-girlfriend’s film. David Leitch has easily grown accustomed to the action genre with his work on John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, Hobbs & Shaw, and Bullet Train and he looks to continue that even further with The Fall Guy. Even if it’s technically not an “original” film, this looks like it will be a nice change of pace for summer blockbusters and shown it’s more than just an overreliance on superhero or franchise installments.
9.) Kung Fu Panda 4
There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical about a Kung Fu Panda 4. It’s rare to see three straight franchise films in a row to be as consistently good as they are (even if Kung Fu Panda 3 was a step down from the first two) and it’s even rarer for a fourth film to top or even match that level of quality. However, if there’s one thing you should learn by now when it comes to Kung Fu Panda, it’s to NEVER judge a book by it’s cover. Here we will see Po accepting his new role as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace while passing on the role of the Dragon Warrior to someone else. With a new set of characters such as Zhen (Awkwafina), Han (Ke Huy Quan), and the brand new antagonist the Chameleon (Viola Davis) along with old familiar foes set to return such as Tai Lung (Ian McShane), Kung Fu Panda 4 looks to act as a culmination of the entire Kung Fu Panda series up to this point. Just please make sure the Furious Five come back in some way, shape, or form!
8.) Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Maybe this is recent bias, but after being on cloud nine with Godzilla: Minus One, I can’t help but be more excited for some more action with the King of Monsters. This looks set to be a rematch between Godzilla and King Kong himself, with the two facing a new global threat that will challenge their very existence and the survival of the human race. Based off the marketing and trailers we’ve seen thus far, Adam Wingard seems dead set on promising a gorgeous, action-packed spectacle featuring the two titled characters that everyone is looking to see along with perhaps something more than that. While it will be hard to top Minus One, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is certain to be a genuine crowd pleaser that will be able to expand the brand of these two beloved monsters, allowing their legacies to expand even further.
7.) A Quiet Place: Day One
After two excellent entries in this latest horror franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One will act as a spin-off prequel, showcasing the earlier days of when the worldlike apocalypse in this universe occurred that whipped off the majority of the human population. With Michael Sarnoski taking over for directing duties over John Krasinski, he will look to provide new and inventive ways to deliver clever scares and unique set pieces along with expanding upon the mythology of this franchise even further. I never would have guessed a horror series that has quite a paper-thin premise on paper could get me excited for multiple entries but if they can keep delivering films that are this well made, acted, and engaging, then I will happily take more of them.
6.) Inside Out 2
There is a strong argument to be made that the original Inside Out was objectively the very best Pixar film ever made. It was an animated film that did everything it could with it’s special premise and delivered a stellar motion picture about emotions and feelings and the importance of every notable one of them. With the first film tackling the days of little Riley as a young girl, the second film looks to take a step even further and show Riley going through her days as a teenager. With the new emotion of anxiety and a few others entering this film, we are likely to get a deep dive into the mindset of a young teenage girl going through her own personal struggles. As much as people have been overly critical with the amount of sequels that Pixar has developed over the years, Inside Out 2 is one that has more than enough material on paper to justify it’s existence. If they can make this work, I’ll take more sequels as there is plenty of stories to tell with the entire concept of these movies.
5.) Mickey 17
This is not necessarily one that I know most about or what the actual title of Mickey 17 is suppose to mean. However, there’s one name attached to this project that’s more than enough to me excited for this film to come out. That being no other than the director of Bong Joon-ho. Acting as a follow-up to his Oscar-winning masterpiece of Parasite (*insert angry incel anti-woke fanboy*), Mickey 17 will act as an adaption based off the 2022 novel Mickey 7 and will star the current Batman himself in Robert Pattinson. Would Mickey 17 be this high on the list or even on the list at well if it weren’t for the cast and crew behind this? Probably not. But sometimes, that is more than enough to convince you that it will be worth checking out or at least be a worthwhile quality piece of art.
4.) Deadpool 3
Acting as the only cinematic entry to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Deadpool 3 will be looking to add the humor, charm, and violence that made the first two movies so good and be able to deliver them in new, satisfying ways. With Hugh Jackman coming out of retirement as Wolverine (in the classic Wolverine suit at long LAST) along with potential other well-known X-Men characters joining the party with longtime actors reprising their roles, I wouldn’t be surprised if Deadpool 3 ends up being to Deadpool what No Way Home was to Spider-Man in acting as a celebration of prior Marvel movies. If done well, this can serve as a delicious appetizer and gets everyone excited for the next main course that will be the upcoming Avengers movies, most notably Secret Wars. Oh, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Taylor Swift have a role in some way. After all, you gotta get that few extra bucks from the Swifties.
3.) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Approaching the 10 year anniversary of the action movie masterwork that was Mad Max: Fury Road (can’t believe it’s ALREADY been nine years), George Miller returns once again to this post-apocalyptic world which he helped created but with a prequel that puts the spotlight on the latest action heroine icon from Fury Road in Imperator Furiosa, played this time around by Anya Taylor Joy. With this being reported to be in the works for several years now, this is clearly a passion project for Miller himself and wants to give everything he has to do it. While it does look more CGI-ish compared to Fury Road, if Furiosa is able to at least capture a quarter of the magic that 2015 game changer did with it’s stunts, action, visual storytelling, and emotional depth, then it may just continue the Mad Max franchise even further, with hope that the long in development installment, Mad Max: The Wasteland, might see the light of day. Even so, I’m just at least happy to be able to spend more time in this universe.
2.) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
In an age where most newest installments in long-running franchises are uneven and inconsistent in terms of quality, who would’ve guess that it’s the recent run of Planet of the Apes movies that is ahead of the curve in that regard. Coming off a hugely successful three-movie run with Rupert Wyatt and Matt Reeves that told the complete story of Caesar, the baton has been passed to Wes Ball for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Set 300 years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, ape civilizations have emerged higher than ever while the human population is now at it’s absolute lowest, with the focus now on a young ape named Noa and a young human girl named Mae. If the quality of the first three rebooted ape movies is anything to go by, I would expect Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is to be yet another amazing accomplishment with motion capture and visual storytelling along with getting one step closer to the events of the original 1968 Planet of the Apes where it’s completely ape dominated. Between this and Furiosa, Memorial Day weekend is sure to be one strong weekend for films.
1.) Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Do I expect this to be the best movie of 2024? No! Is there a strong chance that this will likely be the worst of the anticipated films I’ve mentioned? Yes! But at the same time, I can’t help but have my mind set on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 more than any other upcoming movie this year. Maybe it’s due to the fact that the prior two Sonicthe Hedgehog movies were honestly more or less the Sonic movies I’ve always dreamed off as a kid but Sonic 3 has a chance to not just set a new standard for video game movies but possibly make Sonic popular than he ever has been before. With it set to introduce fan-favorite character Shadow the Hedgehog, possible well known Sonic characters such as Amy Rose and Rouge the Bat might get thrown into the mix, seeing how the Sonic lore is more expanded upon, and even just seeing how the main trio grow as characters, Sonic 3 just seems set to be an absolute blast for Sonic fans, video game fans, and everyday moviegoers alike. We might not know the exact plot synopsis quite yet or even who is going to be cast as Shadow the Hedgehog. However, the build up and anticipation to it’s holiday release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is what I’m looking forward to the most throughout the majority of 2024. I don’t expect this to win an Oscar or even be my absolute favorite of the year, but the inner child in me is what make Sonic the Hedgehog 3 my most anticipated film of the year!
As for other big movies coming out this year:
I saw Night Swim early. It kinda stinks and is pretty much the exact definition of a January horror movie. Don’t expect another pleasant surprise like M3GAN from it.
There’s another Mean Girls coming out that acts as more of a musical than an actual remake. Hopefully, it’s not another Mean Girls 2.
Madame Web seems set to be a Madame Webbing time (Did I do that right?).
Love Lies Bleeding looks like it will be every Sapphics wet dream.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire was another holdover from 2023 but from the trailers, it looks like yet another reminder about how Hollywood has completely forgot what made Ghostbusters special.
Rebel Moon: Part Two might fix the flaws of Part One but either Netflix needs to learn how to properly release their feature films or Zack Snyder needs to learn how to release a proper film in it’s actual cut released for theaters and streaming.
There’s a new Universal monster movie set to star Melissa Barrera, the actress who just got fired from Scream due to voicing her support from Palestine. That alone is enough for me to show my support!
Alex Garland’s Civil War seems set to be the most controversial film of 2024 in both the best and worst ways possible. Just please let this be closer in quality to Ex Machina and Annihilation and NOT Men.
There’s another Strangers film coming with The Strangers: Chapter 1 for fans of that series. I’m not really one of them.
An animated Garfield film is also coming on Memorial Day alongside Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Furiosa. It looks cute but why does Chris Pratt got to be in every animated movie nowadays?
Bad Boys 4 might still be a thing this year, assuming the whole world has gotten covered Will Smith’s Oscar slap.
Despicable Me 4 is happening because….I guess the kids still love minions.
Twisters is an upcoming disaster film with the director of Minari. That could be good.
M. Night Shyamalan has another movie set with Trap. And even his daughter has a new movie as well. Let’s see how those turn out!
Horizon: An American Saga is getting Chapters 1 and 2 in the same year directed by Kevin Costner no less. Could be interesting!
Alien, Lord of the Rings, and The Karate Kid are getting new films this year believe it or not but we literally know NOTHING about them whatsoever.
Gladiator and Beetlejuice are getting sequels….for some reason.
Kraven the Hunter movie is still a thing….for some reason. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 game pretty much already has that beat by a mile.
Transformers One could be yet another surprisingly enjoyable or just okay Transformers movie that will likely underperform at the box office because the world is still recovering from Bayformers or even misses it.
Wolfs is the next film from prior Spider-Man director, Jon Watts. We’ll see how that goes.
Saw XI and Smile 2 are coming because of how successful the last Saw and first Smile was.
Venom 3 will likely be another film which will help Sony continue to destroy the last remaining will that superhero movies still have. At least Tom Hardy will still be run, right?
Red One is an upcoming Christmas adventure with The Rock and Chris Evans because….of course.
Wicked: Part One will be a newest musical fantasy adaption that I may check out if the reviews are good enough.
And of course, Disney is releasing Mufasa: The Lion King, which will likely be another bad or underwhelming Disney live-action remake that pales in comparison to the original. Barry Jenkins is WAY too talented of a director for this!
Adam's Blog 